On 4 February 2025, the Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic to the Kingdom of Spain, H.E. Mr. Ilias Fotopoulos, accompanied by the Defence Attaché, Captain Marios Arvanitakis, visited the Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices Centre of Excellence (C-IED CoE) in Hoyo de Manzanares, Madrid.

The Ambassador was welcomed by the Director of the Centre, Colonel Javier Corbacho Margallo, along with representatives from the twelve nations that comprise the multinational staff of the Centre.

During the visit, Colonel Corbacho provided a detailed briefing on the Centre’s mission, key activities, and its role as a NATO-accredited hub for research, training, and analysis in the fight against improvised explosive devices. He emphasized that while the visible aspect of IEDs, the explosion, is often the focus, the real threat lies in the networks responsible for their design, preparation, and deployment. Accordingly, the Centre places significant emphasis on intelligence and force preparedness to effectively counter these complex threats.

In a follow-up discussion, the Ambassador expressed keen interest in the evolution of C-IED strategies, particularly in light of global developments. He also inquired about the role of Greek personnel at the Centre and had the opportunity to engage directly with the Hellenic staff officer assigned to the Detection Section within the Defeat the Device Branch, gaining insights into his responsibilities and contributions.

Following the briefing, Ambassador Fotopoulos toured the Centre’s facilities and expressed his appreciation for the professionalism and dedication of its international team. He concluded his visit by signing the Centre’s Book of Honour.

The Hellenic Republic was the most recent nation to join the C-IED CoE framework, formally adhering to the Memorandum of Understanding in 2019. This agreement governs the establishment and operation of the Centre and its functional alignment with NATO’s Supreme Allied Command for Transformation (SACT). Since then, Greece has maintained a permanent presence at the Centre, further strengthening its commitment to collective security efforts within the NATO alliance.